The Miz celebrated the 20th anniversary of his WWE in-ring debut on Tuesday, with longtime rival John Cena among those congratulating him on the milestone.
Miz made his official WWE SmackDown debut with a victory over Tatanka in a match taped on August 29, 2006. It aired several days later on the September 1 episode.
Cena marked the occasion with a social media post praising Miz and revealing that he regularly points to the former WWE Champion’s work ethic when speaking with younger talent.
“Respect is earned. You earned mine a long time ago,” Cena wrote. “Each sunset makes it far more difficult for most anyone else to deny theirs.”
Cena then congratulated Miz on his longevity and the example he continues to set.
“Congratulations on an incredible 20 years,” he continued. “You ARE the example I consistently bring up to young talent of effort & turning anything into entertaining!”
Miz and Cena famously headlined WrestleMania 27 in 2011, with The Rock also playing a major role in the match. Although Miz had hoped to face Cena one final time during his retirement tour, the bout never happened. Miz instead appeared during Cena’s retirement show before later interacting with him at WrestleMania 42, which Cena hosted.
In his own anniversary post, the 45-year-old Miz made it clear that he has no plans to call it a career anytime soon.
“20 years ago today, I made my WWE in-ring debut,” Miz wrote. “Most said I wouldn’t last. That aged well. And the best part? I’m not done yet. Still here. Still must-see. Still AWESOME.”
Miz then invited fans to share their favorite moments from his WWE career.
“Show me your favorite Miz moment,” he continued. “Tag me and I may repost. Consider that your assignment. Class dismissed.”
Miz will team with Kit Wilson against Bakusai members Shinsuke Nakamura and Kyoki on this Friday’s taped episode of SmackDown. He has also remained active on WWE live events this summer, frequently working against Danhausen and Kevin Owens.
Make sure to join us here at WrestlingHeadlines.com every Friday night at 8/7c for live WWE SmackDown Results coverage.
Respect is earned. You earned mine a long time ago. Each sunset makes it far more difficult for most anyone else to deny theirs. Congratulations on an incredible 20 years! You ARE the example I consistently bring up to young talent of effort & turning anything into entertaining! https://t.co/uVwLw0IvmG
— John Cena (@JohnCena) September 2, 2026
